The Musical Composer and the Power: Vicente Martín y Soler at the Court of Catherine II of Russia

Abstract

The «Russian» operas of the Valencian musical composer Vicente Martín y Soler, were created during his stay at the court of Catalina II, from librettos that were written by the tsarina. Catalina valued musical theatre as an instrument useful both ideologically and morally. For this reason she reorganized the court theatre and paid special attention to the development of the Russian opera and in Russian language. In the historical context of the time, Martín y Soler participated in those ideological and political projects of the Empress, although these regulated and limited the art of the composer himself.

Keywords

• vicente martín y soler
• catalina ii
• rusia
• ópera
• siglo xviii
• teatro cortesano